Journey into the Realm: The Stolen Child (Journey into the Realm Series) by Markelle Grabo Read Free Book Online Page B

unclasped her necklace with every type of jewel imaginable embedded within it. She placed it in my hands. “This will help you cross in the Element Fairy Realm. Remember, you need four gems as an offering.”
    “I can’t possibly take this, Brielle. You need this to access your ability. How will you manage without it?”
    “There are other jewels in the palace. After Finn scorched the last one, I learned to deal with loss,” she joked.
    I put the crown and the jeweled necklace into my shoulder bag. Brielle hugged each of my companions and then crushed me into her own embrace again. “Good luck,” she muttered, before stepping back and hurrying into the palace. Remaining with us for another second may have tempted her to change her mind about sending me away.
    I turned to my friends. “Well, let’s get a move on,” I suggested, gesturing toward the bridge.
    “Wait!” a voice called from the palace doors.
    “Ugh, what now?” Tavis groaned.
    “More goodbyes?” Aimee guessed.
    “It’s Elvina,” Nathan said.
    “What?” I asked, turning around.
    “She’s running toward us,” Nathan added.
    “Why?” I wondered.
    “Maybe she wants to say goodbye,” Aimee suggested.
    “I don’t know, she seems…happy,” Nathan observed.
    I nodded slowly, wondering what this could be about, and went to meet her halfway.
    “I am so glad that you haven’t left yet,” Elvina exclaimed. “I was worried that I wouldn’t make it in time.”
    “Yeah, I was wondering why you hadn’t said goodbye,” I said. “I looked all over the palace for –”
    “Oh, I’m not saying goodbye,” she interrupted with a bright smile. “I’m coming with you.”
    “What?” I cried.
    “I have no time to explain. Soon Lady Cora will find the note I’ve left her, and she will be storming out of the palace to stop me from leaving,” she explained hurriedly. “This is simply something I must do. Please, do not ask questions.”
    Questioning glances came from my friends, but I was recalling the conversation I overheard between Brielle and Elvina. They were up to something, and while I couldn’t exactly admit to eavesdropping, I hoped that Elvina would explain her intentions once we began our journey. Until then, I had to trust her.
    I sighed. “Okay then. The more the merrier, I guess.” I nodded, gathering myself into business mode. “Let’s make our circle underneath the bridge by the streams.”
    As we climbed over the railing, I heard Tavis mutter something to Aimee. “Great. Now we have two fairies with us.”
    Before I could yell at him, Tavis fell over the railing as if someone had pushed him, landing on his back on the grass. He cursed and cried out in pain. Aimee gasped in fright. Confused, I looked around and my suspicions were confirmed. No one had been near enough to Tavis to push him over, except Aimee. I knew the gentle elfen healer wasn’t the one responsible.
    When my feet landed on the grass beside the stream, I looked over at Nathan and found him smirking and trying hard not to laugh.
    I gaped. “Did you do that?”
    He nodded, letting a few laughs escape his lips.
    “How?”
    “During our stay at the palace, I’ve been working with Kian, an ancient Spell Master who was friends with Queen Taryn. He’s helped me expand my abilities. Powers of the mind aren’t so difficult after practice,” he explained.
    “I thought spell masters could only…well, do spells,” I said.
    He grinned. “No, we certainly have other tricks.”
    “Well then, that will come in handy in the future,” I said, looking back at Tavis, who was slowly rising from the ground.
    “That’ll teach you to pick on fairies,” I called.
    He smiled ruefully and shook his head. Aimee helped brush the grass off his clothes.
    “Time to make the circle,” I said.
    The duty fell on Aimee and Tavis because Elvina, Nathan, and I had to prepare ourselves for the breathing spell each of us would need to enter the Mermaid Realm. In order to